1) a lifetime BB contract??? YEAH. Make that #1-12,992.
12,993) Incrementally improve running game through coaching, especially Maroney's "Dance moves". Dillon stays; his longevity has been extended through Maroney. These 2 backs combined for 19 TDs on the ground and somewhere in the neighborhood of 1600 yards. It ain't broke. Don't fix it.
12,994) You want a "True #1" WR? Define your terms. I do not want a star receiver, but I would not shy away from a decent free agent pickup, along the lines of what Mason or Javon Walker might have brought last year. Beyond that, expect WR talent to emerge through modest pickups like Caldwell and Gaffney, and through the draft. (Chad's not dead yet.)
12,995) LB: address for value/value over time. Yes, the younger the better; but I'm another Donnie Edwards fan for 07. I wouldn't weep if we made a run at Adalius Thomas either. Camp is for competition -- if we end up with Tedy coming back and rotating in but not starting, I could very much get behind that.
12,996) Also LB: Use some ducats to get Colvin done/restructured for the "out years." His contract year is 2008 (UFA in 2009). Now the hip issue is out of the way, he's starting to pay off somewhere in line with his contract, but his cap hit goes north of $7M that same year. I can see us getting ahead of this in this coming year, though realistically it's a 2008 concern (I hear the Pats do not like a player to skip the highly productive "contract year -" still, I'm starting to be satisfied that Rosie is worth hooking into, as opposed to a high risk high/reward "prospect.")
12,997) DBs: continue to build a deep, capable unit that contributes its part. Per Pats' overall strategy, do not overpay at marquee positions like CB, rather, have a high number of capable CBs in preparation for the (inevitable?) injuries. It might also be time to start looking for a very nasty safety a la Rodney who can punish receivers underneath and come up big in run support.
12,998) WE NEED MORE TIGHT ENDS!!!!
Of course, my #1 item (combined with Pioli staying) covers another assumption I am making here, which is that we continue to exercise cap discipline, eschew big names (preferring to make small names bigger during their stay in NE,) and draft/ply the FA waters based on value over immediate perceived need.
PFnV
